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Religion
There are several different systems of religious belief on Yeia. Each one is self-contained and generally exclusive - an individual who believes in one pantheon, for instance, will very likely not acknowledge the existence of any other gods. Most people are religious to some degree and even if they do not attend worship regularly, will probably consider the faith with which they were raised to be an important part of their identity. The Church of the Seven Doors to the House of Heaven One of the most popular faiths, predominant in the Kingdom of Valinor and the other southern lands, the Church of the Seven Doors to the House of Heaven recognizes seven deities. Adherents are likely to respect and revere each of them equally, but some people may become more dedicated to a particular god based on their profession or personal interests, even going so far as to become an acolyte in their cult. Zos Typically one of the most popular of the gods of the Church, Zos is a god of strength, warfare and righteousness. He is prayed to for protection against evil and liberation from oppression. Soldiers are among his most devoted adherents. He is usually shown as a handsome young knight in a suit of sining armor. Sarioch Sarioch is a god of refinement, above all else, and closely associated with municipal life. He presides over statecraft, games and festivals, the cultivation and consumption of wine, art and communities. His cult promotes the philosophy that that the community's health should a paramount concern and that by strengthening the group, the health and happiness of the individual will necessarily benefit. Images of Sarioch usually suggest he is a man of noble bearing clad in fine and colorful clothing. Balam A god of the wilds and nature, Balam is popular among frontierspeople, hunters and those whose lives bring them into frequent contact with animals and the great outdoors. Priests of Balam argue that individuality and freedom are the most important qualities for a good life and often shun the conformity demanded of city life. When he is depicted, Balam is always shown with bestial features - a common conception is a man with the head of a wolf and the antlers of a great stag. Essaly An essential figure in the Church, Essaly is the goddess of birth, growth, protection and beginnings. She is popular with midwifes and physicians, farmers and travelers. She is portrayed variously as a young maiden, a pregnant mother or an old crone, depending on the particular aspect of her domain that is being emphasized. Her cult favors dusky, cerulean blue garments. Maelzub A god of magic and knowledge, Maelzub's cult comprises mostly scholars and wizards. Those who devote themselves to his worship are as likely to be bookish academics as they are daring adventurers - the common axiom of his priests that 'all things begin with knowing' strikes a chord with anyone who thirsts for learning. He is represented as a reptilian humanoid, similar to a lizardfolk and usually clad in a rust red robe. Themmaiel A slightly darker deity, Themmaiel is the goddess of darkness, death, secrets and change. She is not particularly popular, but no one who believes in the Church would deny her importance to the proper order of things. When she is depicted, she is usually imagined as an unconventional but nonetheless beautiful woman. The Manufactor Craftsmen, tinkerers and builders of any kind are the most likely devotees of The Manufactor, a god who is depicted, curiously, as brass orb that can unfurl into a hand with an eye placed in the palm. His few clerics prefer to wear unassuming brown robes. Ym Also known as the Soul of the World and the Green King, Ym is a god of nature and storms. Worship of Ym originates in the north, with the Dwarves, Gnomes and Giants, who introduced it later to the races of men. The Green King is attributed a variety of guises, ranging from a fatherly old wizard to a valiant young knight in gilded armor with long hair burnished like the summer suns. Sometimes he is said to take the form a pure elemental force, composed of leaves as strong as iron and as sharp as knives. BULURU It is widely contested what, precisely, the devil BULURU is. Some say it is a powerful being from another plane of existence, an archfiend of high office or an old and dread god in his own right. Whatever the case may be, it is widely and rightly feared and appears in almost every other pantheon. A popular theory suggests that BULURU is the sentient expression of the void that precedes and surrounds all creation. Those craven and sinister things that choose to deny all goodness and worship the devil BULURU are often touched with madness and corrupted beyond all hope. If the stories are true, though, they